Combing and massage device



1942' B. R. NESBITI'. 2,297,714

- comma AND MASSAGE DEVICE Filed June 9, 1941 'INVENTOR 'F i -7bettyfiuth Nesbttt 4 1- BY 05PM k A ORNEY Patented Oct. 6, 1942 i UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE 'COMBING AND MASSAGE DEVICE Betty Ruth Nesbitt, LosAngeles, Calif.

Application June 9, 1941, Serial No. 397,165

9 Claims.

The present invention relates broadly to combing and. massaging devices,and in its specific phases to a comb mounted on a thimble.

Large hand combs and so-called rat-tail combs are commonly used forcombing and arranging human hair. These combs, however, are difficult touse in making small curls and sculptured curls in beauty work, and alsoare relatively unsatisfactory for use by furriers in sewing fur. Thesediificulties led to the making of the present invention which largelyovercomes the difficulties noted.

Accordingly, among the objects of the present invention, is theproduction of a thimble comb adapted to be slipped onto the end of oneor moreof the operators fingers to facilitate finger-tip control ofcurls, the making of pin curls and sculptured curls, the combing out ofringlets, the parting of hair, scalp massaging, and the like.

Another object is to provide a thimble having a comb mounted thereonwith teeth extending substantially coaxially therefrom.

Another object is to provide a thimble comb having teeth adapted forcombing or massaging purposes.

Another object is to provide a thimble comb wherein the thimble has acomb pivotally mounted thereon.

A further object is to provide a pivoted comb type of thimble comb witha latching means for holding the comb in various positions.

A further object is to provide a thimble comb having a multiplicity ofthimbles with a comb extending therefrom and preferably coaxiallytherewith.

' Still further objects and advantages will appear as the descriptionproceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention,then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the followingdescription setting forth in detail certain means for carrying out theinvention, such disclosed means illustrating, however, but several ofvarious ways in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:

Figure 1 shows an elevational view of a thimble icomb with the combmounted in fixed position on the end of the thimble.

Figure 2 shows a center sectional view of a thimble comb taken along theline 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

ing at the edge of the comb portion, the teeth of which are inclinedsidewise as shown.

Figure 4 shows an elevational view of a thimble comb with the combmounted for pivoting to various positions on the thimble.

Figure 5 shows a side view of the thimble comb assembly illustrated inFigure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a preferred formof the pivoted comb latching mechanism as taken along line 6-5 of Figure4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 shows an elevational view of a thimble comb having multiplethimbles.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, one formof the thimble comb consists of a thimble l which has a small comb 2mounted on the end of same and coaxial therewith. The teeth of the combhave been shown as relatively thick and stubby for convenience ofillustration and it is to be understood that such showing is merelydiagrammatic of the Various types of rigid, flexible, tubular, bristle,or other forms of teeth suited to the carrying out of the principles ofthe present invention. The thimble is made hollow and provided with anopen end 3 for the insertion of the users finger. For convenience thethimble may be made in various sizes adapted to fit varying sizefingers, and to facilitate holding same on the operators finger, thethimble may be slightly flattened, tapered in slightly from the inletend, or both, and for simplicity of illustration, the various figuresare to be considered as diagrammatically showing constructions of thisnature as well as plain cygether, without departing from the scope ofthe present invention.

Instead of having a straight tooth fiat comb extending substantiallycoaxially from the end of the thimble, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, thiscomb may be made of various shapes, and one typical construction of avariation of this nature is shown in Figure 3, where the combillustrated has a substantially hook-shaped end profile. This particularconstruction is especially adapted for massage combing when the comb 2aFigure 3 is a side view of a thimble comb lookis made of soft rubber orthe like, and the thimble la is also of soft rubber, or, if desired, ofhard material, such as metal, plastics, or the like, to which comb 2ahas been joined in any one of various ways.

A variation of the construction shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3 isillustrated in Figure '7, wherein comb 2b is mounted on a pair ofthimbles lb and lo, and preferably coaxially therewith. The constructionas thus shown is intended, for simplicity of illustration, todiagrammatically show a thimble comb construction having a plurality ofthimbles adapted for operation in unison, and wherein the teeth of thecomb are either straight across, tapered, inclined, or the like.

While comb 2 may be mounted in fixed position on thimble l as istypically illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3, a more versatile assemblymay be made by pivotally mounting the comb on the thimble as is showndiagrammatically in Figures 4 and 5. In this construction, the thimbleId is preferably provided with bosses 4 and 5 and comb 20 with acut-away portion 6 terminating in end members 7 and 8. Pivot pins 9 andI0 may be used to pivotally join end members 1 and 8 to bosses 4 and 5.The holding of comb 2c in various positions may be accomplished inseveral ways, and one of the most convenient of these is to providethimble ld with a series of rib-like bosses H adapted to be engaged bylatch members l2 and I3 (Figure 6) mounted on comb 20 by rivet I l, orthe equivalent. Latch members l2 and 13 are preferably provided withoutwardly sloping ends 15 and I6 to facilitate disengagement of thelatch at the will of the user, and to aid in automatically elevating thecorresponding latch member for reengaging the next rib-like boss H whichsame is forced over. The pivoted comb construction is not limited to useon a single thimble, but rather same may be incorporated in a multiplethimble comb, and for simplicity of illustration, it is intended thatFigure '7 be considered as diagrammatically showing this general type'ofconstruction.

In use the beauty operator, furrier, or other user, slips the thimble orthimbles of the thimble comb or combs on one or more fingers and thenutilizes the comb portion thereof for the particular purpose thenrequired, for instance scalp massaging, parting the hair, making pincurls, sculptured curls, making or combing out ringlet curls, or thelike. Such use of the finger comb makes possible faster work, easierformation of various types of curls, and'in general makes possible theready accomplishment of difierent forms of work with hair or fur whichis diflicult with present-day combs.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead ,of those explained, change being made as regards the articlesand combinations herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any ofthe following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination whichcomprises a thimble, and a toothed member mounted thereon, said toothedmember having a plurality of teeth in a row and being adapted to extendfrom the end of said thimble in a plane at least substantially includingthe axis of said thimble.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination whichcomprises a thimble, and a member having a substantially flat sided rowof teeth mounted thereon and adapted to extend from the end of saidthimble substantially in line with a plane including the axis thereof.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination whichcomprises a thimble with substantially smooth sides, a toothed memberhaving a substantially flat sided row of teeth, the teeth of saidtoothed member extending outwardly from the end of said thimble, andanchoring means for holding said toothed member in place at the end ofsaid thimble and with the teeth thereof substantially in a planeincluding the axis of said thimble.

4. A device of the character described, which consists of a thimble, anda comb mounted thereon, said comb being adapted to extend from the endof said thimble and substantially in line with the axis thereof.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of aplurality of thimbles, said thimbles being joined together in operableposition, and a comb mounted on said thimbles.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a thimble,a toothed member, pivot means on said thimble, and means for pivotallymounting said toothed member on the pivot means of said thimble.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a thimble,a toothed member, fixed pivots on said thimble, means for pivotallymounting said toothed member for rotation about said fixed pivots and.over the end of said thimble, and means for anchoring said toothedmember at various positions of rotationon said thimble.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a thimble,a toothed member, means for pivotally mounting said toothed member forrotation overthe end of said thimble, and means for anchoring saidtoothed member at various positions on said thimble, said anchoringmeanscomprising latch means on-said toothed member, and latch engagingmeans on said thimble.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination whichconsists of a thimble, and a toothed member having a substantially flatsided row of substantially parallel teeth, said toothed member beingpermanently anchored to said thimble, and extending fromthe end thereofin a plane substantially including its axis, said teeth also beingsubstantially parallel to said axis.

BETTY RUTH NESBITT.

